The Almac Group, Ireland-based pharmaceutical company, announced today that it will add 348 new jobs over the next five years. The initiative is being supported with grants worth £5.5 million, according to BBC News.

“These 348 new jobs will generate salaries of over £9.4m per annum when the projects are fully implemented,” said Arlene Foster, the Enterprise, Trade and Investment Minister. “This is a significant cash injection for the local economy. The investments are also good news for our growing life sciences sector, which is gaining an international reputation for innovation and excellence.”

The Almac Group, which develops products geared toward cancer diagnostics, provides services to numerous pharmaceutical firms. The company currently employs more than 3,300 people in Northern Ireland, the U.K., U.S. and Asia.

About 141 jobs will be created in the Almac Pharma Services Limited division, which handles contract development and manufacturing. Another 181 jobs will be developed in the Almac Clinical Services Limited division, dedicated to packaging, labeling and logistics services.

“We are fortunate to employ an excellent highly-skilled workforce at our Craigavon headquarters which has played a major role in our global growth,” said Alan Armstrong, Chairman and CEO of the Almac Group. “It’s fantastic that demand for our services has resulted in the creation of so many new jobs as we embark on further expansion over the next five years.”

The Creation of High Quality Jobs
In June, The Almac Group announced the development of 20 new positions at its headquarters in Craigavon, Ireland. As a result, the company launched a recruitment campaign called, “Challenge Yourself.” The jobs that were offered ranged from project managers to supply chain managers.

“As a global company providing unique services, demand from clients all over the world continues to grow,” Kelly Neill, Almac’s Head of Project Services for the UK, said at the time. “To service that need, we currently have some fantastic opportunities for candidates who are interested in being involved in making a positive difference to human health.”

Shortly before announcing the 20 new positions, Almac announced record pre-tax profits of £19.2m in 2013, which was up around 30 percent on the previous year. However, the company also saw turnover increase by 8 percent, increasing from £300m to £325m.

Almac isn't the only one hiring, others are hiring too. Check it out! (Isn't it tempting?)